Tag: history

Breaking News Politics

Italy’s PM To Step Down

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Italy’s prime minister is stepping down.

On Tuesday, Silvio Berlusconi announced that he will resign.

His announcement came after a key vote in parliament indicated that he does not have the support of the majority of parliament.

Italy is in the midst of an “economic crisis” – the country has borrowed more money than it can pay. It has too much “debt.”

Other countries, like Ireland, Portugal and most recently Greece have had similar crises.

However, Italy’s problem is much bigger and arguably more of a problem for the whole European Union (EU). The European Union is a partnership of 27 countries in Europe.

Italy is more than $2.6 trillion in debt.

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News

Flood Wreaks Havoc In Thailand

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For months, Thailand has been experiencing a devastating flood.

The waters are wreaking havoc in 25 provinces, flooding farmlands, homes and businesses.

The water gathers in the country’s central plains and makes its way south to the sea, going through Thailand’s capital city, Bangkok, on its route.

More than 500 people have died in the floods.

It is estimated that more than three million people have been affected.

At least a fifth of Bangkok is now under water. Bangkok has many canals and rivers that cut through it.

The polluted water is a health hazard; it is up to chest-high in some areas of the city.

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Breaking News Politics

Financial Crisis In Greece Affecting EU

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Greece is having a crisis over its money and its leaders. Greece’s crisis is affecting other countries in Europe.

Over time, Greece has borrowed a lot of money–more than it can pay back.

The European Union (EU) is a partnership of 27 countries including Greece.

The EU countries have been working together to come up with a plan to help Greece repay the money it owes.

If Greece can’t figure out a solution for its problems, it may go bankrupt or be forced out of the European Union.

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Arts Entertainment

Throw Spears, Sing, Dance At Polynesian Culture Centre

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You may have seen pictures of Hawaii on postcards, with its beautiful beaches, lush gardens and fascinating volcanoes.

But the Hawaiian islands are also rich in history and culture.

On the north shore of Hawaii’s island of Oahu you’ll find the Polynesian Culture Centre. There, each group of Hawaiian islands is represented in the form of a mini-village from that particular island chain.

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Science

The First Mummy In 3,000 Years

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The body of Alan Billis, who died of cancer recently will be the first one in the modern world to be mummified like the ancient Egyptians were.

While he was terminally ill with lung cancer, Billis—a taxi driver in the UK—signed up for the procedure.

Dr. Stephen Buckley is a scientist who has been working for nearly 20 years to figure out how to mummify bodies in the same way Egyptian bodies like Tutankhamun’s were preserved.

His process was filmed for a television documentary on Britain’s Channel Four TV station.

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News Politics

The World Gets A New Country

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The most recent country to be formed in the world is called the Republic of South Sudan. It was formed on July 9, 2011.

Before July, South Sudan was part of Sudan, a country in the north-east of Africa. (Sudan itself used to be part of Egypt, but became independent in 1956.)

South Sudan was formed following two civil wars, one in the 1970s and—following an 11-year ceasefire—another which began in the 80s. The southern part of Sudan demanded independence.

When the new country’s independence was declared, its citizens took to the streets of Juba, the capital, to celebrate.

Salva Kiir Mayardit (pictured here) is the president of the new country, which has 10 states.

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Health Politics

We Are Turning Seven Billion Strong

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The population of the world is about to hit a new milestone.

As of Oct. 31, demographers say there will be seven billion people living on earth.

Back in 1804, we hit the one-billion mark. It took another 123 years to reach two billion.

By 2083, the population rate could be much faster or slower, depending a few factors including average life expectancy.

It is the poor who are always hit hardest by population increases, researcher John Bongaarts told The Globe and Mail newspaper.

There are more people drawing on the earth’s resources—food and energy, for instance.

More than 900 million people in the world don’t get adequate nourishment.

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Sports

Baseball’s Pujols Hits Three Homers In World Series Game

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Many people enjoy the Fall because of the beautiful colours of the leaves, but to baseball fans, the Fall is especially wonderful because it also means the beginning of the World Series.

This year, the two teams competing in the World Series are the St. Louis Cardinals and the Texas Rangers.

And while both teams are capable of winning the championship–the series is tied at 2-2–the Cardinals have shown they can score a ton of runs, thanks in large part to the play of their first baseman, Albert Pujols.

On Saturday, Pujols played one of the finest games of baseball ever played in the World Series.

Not only did he hit three home runs, he also collected six RBI (Runs Batted In), and hit two singles.

Pujols’ terrific day at the plate put him among baseball’s elite.

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Breaking News Politics

Former Libyan Dictator Moammar Gadhafi Is Dead

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The former leader of Libya is dead.

Moammar Gadhafi, who ruled Libya for 42 years, had been forced to step down from office when Libyans took to the streets in protest of his brutal dictatorship.

For months, he and his followers fought off the rebels. He maintained to the end that he was still Libya’s ruler.

Then, he disappeared. No one could find him.

All that ended Thursday, when rebel forces shot him to death in his hometown, Sirte.

Gadhafi’s reign over Libya was at times colourful and brutal.

He often acted like an arrogant celebrity, having meetings with dignitaries in an enormous white tent which he set up wherever he went including large cities like Paris and New York.

He had female bodyguards who wore camouflage and high-heels and carried machine guns.

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Breaking News Politics

Protesters Have The World’s Attention (Editorial)

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There is a park in downtown Toronto called St. James Park.

This week it is filled with “campers.”

Colourful, domed vinyl tents crowd next to each other in the mud.

The campers are cold because there is no heat at night, there is no electricity, and winter is coming. But they persist.

Why are they there? They are camping in St. James Park in Toronto for the same reason they are camping in Zuccotti Park in New York, or outside St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, England.

For the same reason people are camping in 80 other cities around the globe.

It is a protest.

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